Gardeners World Live - In the Pink

In the Pink Border

As I’m sure you are already aware, especially if you were fortunate enough to visit, we recently collaborated with Gardeners World presenter Sue Kent on her ‘In the Pink’ Border at Gardeners World Live. NEC Birmingham. We were thrilled and honoured to be awarded Platinum for our display and it was a very welcome reward for the effort that we put into it. The ‘In the Pink’ border was challenging but with Sue directing and planning, Ruth’s immaculate picking over of the plants and Richards planting we pulled it off. Our display was stunning and a real talking point at the show, albeit VERY pink. Slightly shell shocked but immensely proud of everyone’s efforts at both the nursery and the show.

One of the main aims of this venture was to show people that you can do this in your own garden.

We purposely mixed annuals with perennials to give not only longevity but also colour throughout the whole of the flowering season. The Verbenas, Brachyscome, Nemesia, Diascias and Argyranthemums flower until the first frosts, yet the backbone of Roses, Astrantias and Alliums (and many other perennials) will continue from year to year.

The border was themed from dark to light with purple foliage and maroon flowers and foliage at one end, gradually merging with progressively paler colours across the whole length, finalising with whites and very pale pinks. Added to the flowers were several vegetables showing how gardens don’t have to be just flowers.

Scent was also important, the roses, kindly donated by David Austin, were beautiful, fragrant and flamboyant what more could you ask for!

We had so much interest in the content of the border that we thought we would break it down and give you a full list of everything that has gone into creating the border, leaving no bits out, so that anyone can re-create the ‘In the Pink’ Border.

Right hand side of the border

Left hand side of the border

Top end of border (Pale pinks) Bottom end of border (Dark pinks)

Plant Listing (Picture below) Click for links to items

Diascia ‘Diamond Light Pink’	1
Gillenia trifoliata	2
Rosa ‘Desdemona’	3
Astrantia major mixed seedlings	4
Thymus ‘Caborn Wine and Roses’	5
Nemesia ‘Wisley Vanilla’	6
Rosa ‘Elizabeth’	7
Rosa ‘Scarborough Fair ‘	8
Astrantia ‘Roma’	9
Lythrum salicaria ‘Robert’	10
Sanguisorba ‘Pink Tanna’	12
Rosa ‘Gertrude Jekyll’	13
Argyranthemum ‘Madeira Created Hot Pink’	14
Brachyscome ‘Magenta Delight’	15
Verbena ‘Showboat Magenta’	16
Diascia ‘Diamond Fuchsia’	17
Rosa ‘Gabriel Oak’	18
Astrantia ‘Hadspen Blood’	19
Acanthus hungaricus ‘White Lips’	20
Tree Spinach	21
Nectaroscordum siculum subsp. bulgaricum	22
Astrantia ‘Temptation Star’	23
Verbena officinalis var. grandiflora ‘Bampton’	25
Phygelius ‘Colourburst Rose’	26
Heuchera ‘Wild Berry ‘	27
Allium ‘Roseum’	28
Ipomoea (sweet potato) ‘Treasure Island’	29
Saponiaria ocymoides ‘Bressingham Pink’	33
Gypsophila repens ‘Rosea’	34
Thymus serpyllum ‘Snowdrift’	34
Sidalcea ‘Sussex Beauty’	35
Pelargonium ‘Attar Of Roses’	39
Allium ‘Silver Spring’	40
Allium ampeloprasum ‘Pink Jewel’	41
Nemesia ‘Poetry Mix’	42
Geranium sanguineum var. striatum	43
Beetroot ‘Morello’	44
Rose ‘Eustacia Vye’	45
Argyranthemum ‘Madeira Deep Pink ‘	46
Allium ‘Red Mohican’	47
Amaranth ‘Pygmy Torch’	48
Astrantia ‘Star of Heaven’	49
Sweet Pea ‘Bouquet Mixed’	50
Digitalis ‘Pink Panther’ (Foxglove)	51
Salix ‘Flamingo’	52